When Angels Aren't Watching Us
by alchemicmonkey
Summary: Bonus stories and one shots from Godsend. What happens between chapters and time jumps, the character's personal lives. Enjoy them, please.
1. Chapter 1

**The Missing Hour**

"Why not?" Alphonse demanded.

"'Why not?' Al, the answer's totally obvious! Some strange girl with strange powers and not to mention a strange way of speaking _quite literally_ shows up out of nowhere and you just want to adopt her like those stray cats you always find? In case you've forgotten, we have something important to do and I'm not in the mood to play babysitter when she's only going to get in our way!" Edward retorted, slamming a gloved hand on the table. "We know nothing about her. Not… where she's from, how she got here, or why she's here!"

"And that's supposed to be different?" the younger brother sassed, his grey eyes flashing.

"Different from what?" the blond asked.

"Different from us. Her situation is so similar to ours I'm shocked you didn't see that. She comes from a different world, like us, but she has _nothing and no one._ I had you when I came here, and you had Dad. I don't care what you say; yell at me all you want. Helping that girl is the right thing to do," Alphonse snapped.

He paused to take a breath, running his hand through his hair.

"Remember how we used to say 'we're all we've got'? We're all she's got right now, regardless of what you say," he finished.

"Dammit, Al, I don't want to put an innocent girl's life at risk because of our mistakes. We've screwed up our own lives enough; I'm not going to endanger someone else's," Edward sighed.

"She reminds me of you, Brother," Alphonse said solemnly. "I'm not sure what it is but something about her is so… _echoic_ of you and…" he paused, looking for the right words.

Edward blanched for a moment. That girl reminded Alphonse of himself? Was that even possible?

"I can't leave her alone!" Alphonse continued. "She looks strong, but she can be fragile too! Not every girl can be like teacher or Winry… I think that if we don't do something she'll die!"

The blond blinked, awed and slightly shocked by how much effort Alphonse was putting into this argument. Honestly, it was starting to make a bit of sense the more they argued.

"Ed, trust me… we can't just turn a blind eye and let her wander around this world by herself when she knows almost nothing about it… we need to help her. I'm not sure why but we need to," he insisted.

"There's no logical reason to explain why she's here, unless she passed through the Gate like we did," Edward sighed again. "But since you're being so persistent, I guess she can stay provided she pulls her own weight."

"Really? Thank you so much, Brother!" Alphonse cried, throwing his arms around Edward like they were little kids. Edward found himself smiling.

Despite Alphonse's strange defense of the girl, he could see the logic in his argument. The girl… Christin, he should probably start calling her… seemed just as confused and lost as he had when he first arrived in this world. And he could see that reflection of himself Alphonse mentioned, though he couldn't exactly pinpoint it right now. He'd have to get to know her better before he could do that.

And because of that, he was going to stay by her side, to make sure she didn't make the same mistakes he had… he would stay with her… and watch over her.

* * *

_A/N: huzzah, the first bonus story is done! This happens in the first chapter of DXM, when Ed and Al leave while Gracia gets Rin some clothes to make her less conspicuous. I was re-reading DXM and I was wondering what exactly Ed and Al would've talked about during that hour, so here it is._

_It'll be a bonus story in the manga too. *throws arms in air and drops notebook into cat's water dish* I really need to get back to work on that… I'm almost done with chapter three!... out of forty-nine plus a million (exaggeration) bonus stories._

_Right, so these bonus stories are just what goes on between the major chapters and time jumps. Enjoy!_


	2. Chapter 2

Shall We Dance?

"What's that?" Edward demanded.

"It's a tie; put it on," Christin replied briskly.

"What for?" he asked.

"We're going out," Alphonse grinned, fixing the collar of his jacket. "You gotta dress nice for where we're going."

"If I'm going to be seen in public with you, you can't look like a slob," she added, shoving the tie into his hand.

"Did you get a reservation at a restaurant or something?" the blond inquired as he fumbled with the strip of fabric.

"Or something," she snickered. "I'm gonna go change real quick. I just finished fixing my dress," she chattered before skipping down the hall and into her room.

"Allow me," Noa said, gently pushing his hands aside. In a few seconds the tie was fitted snugly around his neck. He felt like he was wearing a dog's choke-chain and loosened it a bit.

"I'm afraid to ask where we're going if we have to dress nicely," he muttered to his brother, who was raking his fingers through his hair to comb it. "Especially if _she_ is getting us in. Tell me honestly, did she seduce someone to get in wherever we're going?"

"Not that I know of. She went out to the library for a while and came back happier than a schoolgirl who had been humored by her crush," Alphonse replied. "She's been running around like a miniature whirlwind all afternoon. There have been scraps of fabric flying from her room for the past hour, literally."

"I don't like the sound of this. I admit I like her more than I used to, but she doesn't exactly fit in with this kind of culture. I'm still embarrassed to show my face in some places," Edward grumbled.

"I know what you mean," the younger brother nodded, fixing his collar again.

"Brace yourselves," Noa warned, pressing their overcoats into their arms. "I can't believe she's going out in public like that. And she wants us to look nice..." she muttered.

"Are we all ready?" Christin asked sweetly, buttoning up the top two buttons on her dress. The boys shared a confused look. What had Noa been talking about? They had a feeling they'd find out sooner or later.

"It's pretty nice out here tonight," Noa commented as they walked down the street. A warm spring breeze drifted between the buildings lining the streets, tugging playfully at their clothes and hair. The light slowly faded as they walked deeper into the city.

"Where are you taking us?" Edward asked, doing his best not to growl.

"Londinium," she replied.

"You're taking us to England at this time of night?" he ground his teeth.

"Don't be stupid," she replied curtly, pointing at a red neon sign flashing 'Londinium' down the street a ways.

Alphonse thought he heard music as they approached the doors. A group of boys close to himself and Edward in age hovered by the doors like they were waiting for someone. Their faces lit up as the two groups met.

"You came. I didn't think you would," one with wavy black hair said, flashing a charming smile at Christin.

"Well, I wasn't going to be rude and decline your invitation," she tittered. "I hope you don't mind, but I brought some friends along. That's Edward, Alphonse and Noa." She pointed to each person as their name was said and Alphonse felt himself blush. He snuck a glance at Edward; he seemed ready to bite someone's head off. He stifled a snicker at his older brother's discomfort.

"Well, the more the merrier, right?" he replied, sneaking a sneer at Noa. She stiffened in response. "The party's inside." He offered his arm and Christin took it.

"So let's go instead of standing around doing nothing outside," she smiled.

"Who are those guys?" Edward hissed, grabbing her shoulder as they entered the building, the sound of the music getting louder.

"They're just some friends I made at the library today, sheesh!" she hissed back. "Oh, and try to act like you're having some fun."

Alphonse had to blink a few times when they were inside. It was so bright compared to the dimly lit streets, and it was so loud. It felt like a trumpet was blaring right in his ear. And no wonder, there were five of them in the band at the far end of the room. The tables surrounding the dance floor were jam packed with people, while the floor itself was its own ocean of bodies. He felt a smile break out on his face. It was a swing club. All the adults he talked to said it was just a place for people to gather and listen to good German music. Nothing had been said about the vibrant atmosphere and sheer liveliness of the joint. Then again, these sorts of places weren't really supposed to be around right now. Just the other day he had read an article about a club that had been busted and how over fifty people had been arrested. He was soon nodding his head in time to the beat.

"Oh, fellas, I'm Dietrich. Thanks for coming down," the boy with wavy black hair grinned as he shrugged out of his overcoat. Edward grunted in reply, but the sound was lost amidst the loudness of the music.

"Hey out there, welcome to Londinium! We're playing nothing but the latest and greatest direct from America, so don't be afraid to get your groove on and show us all what you got!" someone barked into a microphone.

"Shall we?" Dietrich asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Hell yeah," Christin grinned, setting her overcoat on the table they had snagged. Edward slumped gloomily into a chair, already brooding.

"Quiet, quiet!" the man at the microphone barked.

The band stopped playing and everyone let out sounds of disappointment. People and musicians rearranged themselves until they were prancing around the room to a German tune. A small unit of uniformed men strode into the room. Alphonse stiffened where he stood. The HJ weren't the nicest people in town and the rumors he heard at work only fueled their bad reputation. And it wasn't just him; Edward and even Christin felt pointedly uneasy around them. Noa preferred to avoid them as often as possible.

"She's not half bad," Edward mumbled. Alphonse looked towards the dance floor, where Christin and Dietrich were skipping around in circles like everyone else. "For only being here a few months, she picked up on those German dances pretty quickly." He blushed when she caught his eye and waved.

The officers, after confirming there was nothing bad going on here, marched out like the toy soldiers they were. People jeered and taunted them when they were gone. "Alright hep cats, we're cool. Hit it!"

The band changed tunes sharply with a loud trumpet blast. People cheered as they resumed their mad swing dancing. Before he knew it, Alphonse had been dragged out onto the floor with some dainty little blond and was swinging her around wildly as he grinned like an idiot. The upbeat vibe of the music was infecting him, putting him in a good mood.

Someone came by, motioning for him and the blond to make room. A couple took the spot in the center of the cleared area and danced their very best. Alphonse clapped in time to the beat as another couple took their place, occasionally banging his head and making his hair fly into his face.

"Hi, Al!" Christin chirped as she and Dietrich took the other couple's place. He waved and smiled wider, watching as they danced. He had never seen her look so happy: her eyes sparkled and her cheeks were flushed from the vigorous dancing. He envied Dietrich a bit. He wanted to dance with her too. He wanted to hold her close and toss her into the air so often she looked like she was flying, like Dietrich was doing. He saw flashes of dark red briefly when she was airborne. Did she have something else on under her dress?

"Believe it or not, I'm having fun," Edward shouted over the music. Alphonse grinned at his brother. Someone shoved them forward and into the middle of the circle. They shrugged and started dancing together, swinging their arms and kicking their feet wildly.

"Shall we dance?" Christin called, joining him in the circle as a brunette with ringlet curls joined Edward. He shrugged and took her hand, spinning her in a tight circle. When he stopped to pay attention briefly, he noticed she was undoing a few buttons on her dress. He couldn't blame her, though. He was getting pretty toasty himself, and yet he couldn't seem to stop. He practically jumped out of his jacket and tossed it aside to get a bit of ventilation. He watched, slightly shocked, as she took off her dress, revealing another one underneath. He glanced up sharply as the other guys made wolf calls.

"What the heck are you wearing?" he asked when they got closer.

"A dress, what does it look like?" she replied a bit breathily.

"Are you sure it's not a shirt?" he asked, glancing down a bit awkwardly at her skirt. "I've seen underwear longer than that!"

"I'll have you know, in America this is pretty common," she chattered, adding a lopsided grin. "Besides, I've been trapped inside those long dresses for too long. My legs need to breathe a bit."

"They go down to your knees," he hissed, lifting her into the air. "That isn't very long."

"Look, mister, you try on a miniskirt then put on something longer and tell me which you prefer," she snapped back coyly. "Miniskirts allow more movement than knee-length or longer. And although you can move perfectly well in those, the fabric bunches up strangely when airborne."

He sniffed. It sounds like she had done her research. The band stopped playing and people applauded. He set her down on the ground.

"Why did you bring us here?" he asked, glad to use a somewhat normal tone of voice to talk.

"I just wanted to go out and have a good time. I didn't think I'd get in _that_ much trouble," she shrugged. "Besides, being a Swing Kid is fun. Now I'm like the kids in the movie." The band started again, playing another snappy tune.

"Movie?" he repeated as they wove their way back to the table.

"Where I'm from there's a movie about this sort of thing. Since I wound up here in this time I thought I'd try it and see what happened," she shrugged, sitting heavily in a chair. "Are you not having fun?"

"So much fun I could die," he admitted with a laugh.

"Even Ed's enjoying himself," she nodded towards the dance floor, where his older brother was twirling the brunette girl like a corkscrew. He caught their eye and flashed a smile.

"You're a pretty good dancer, even if you do dress weirdly," he complemented.

"Why thank you," she replied. "I knew this was a good idea. Let's go," she smirked, grabbing his wrist and dragging him out to the floor again. They flew across the floor like it was freshly polished, kicking their feet in time to the beat and tossing their heads. Another circle had been made at some point and they and Noa and Edward were in the center, spurred on by the claps and cheers from the crowd.

"Alright, that's enough!" someone barked. The band squealed into silence. A row of officers lined the entrance while more wiggled their way into the mobs, occasionally striking people as they mulled about like frightened animals. "Clear out immediately! Give your names at the door!"

"Shit!" Christin swore, stomping her foot in anger and disappointment. "There goes the evening."

"Come on, this way," Dietrich hissed, grabbing her arm. "We can escape out the back."

"Let's go," someone commanded, pushing Edward harshly from behind.

"Officer Hughes," the blond huffed.

"This is a one and only deal, got that? If I catch you again, I'm reporting you," the officer hissed. "Now get out of here."

"Thanks Hughes," Edward grinned.

"Was that just like the movie?" Alphonse asked wryly when the escapees stopped to catch their breath.

"Yep," Christin panted, pressing a hand to her throat. "Fun, huh?"

He just rolled his eyes and shook his head. Despite her strangeness, he was coming to like her very, very much.

* * *

_A/N 11-14-10: I was watching the movie Swing Kids to get ideas for the DXM manga and this just sorta got spawned. I figured 'What the hell? It'll help demonstrate her (Christin's) mad dancing skills and how she's maintaining her modern style and outlook.' And I could see Ed totally head banging to that music while Al swung some poor girl around until she was dizzy._

_I'm not sure what will come next, because these are random in-betweens that happen between the chapters of the story (bonus stories in the manga). Lined up, I've got an ice-skating one... an apple pie one...one where Christin gets homesick... a wedding... Ed being somewhat emo... I'll try to put them in the order they'd appear going chronologically, from the start of DXM to the end of the saga. This'll have bonus stories from all three books._

_Please review and look forward to the next one! Sorry it took a while to post, but I totally forgot about this one for a while!_

_.:~*alchemicmonkey*~:._


	3. Chapter 3

**This story is one of a series I'm starting that I've called (for lack of a better name) Perspective. I'll try my best to go into depth about what the character who is narrating is feeling. These go in chronological order according to book 1. I'm not sure where exactly they go (between which chapters, I mean) but please enjoy them anyway.**

_Rin's Secret Emotional Diary: Cut Circle, Repeat Cycle_

It was raining, a steady downpour of ice cold droplets of water, but I didn't care. I probably would get yelled at when I returned, but that was almost normal now. It was late in April now, almost four months since I arrived in this strange land. It was like I was walking through the pages of my history books. I felt so alone... so out of place... no one knew what I talked about most of the time, so I usually kept quiet. Except at what was supposed to be home, that is. Others called it a home, but to me it felt like an empty building.

Water ran into my eyes, but I didn't bother to brush it away. I leaned back against the tree behind me, its pale pink blossoms fluttering to the soggy ground.

Maybe I would die here. I'd die here... and become the fairy of the tree like a girl I read about in a book once. It's not like anyone cared anyway. I'm just an outsider... a wolf in sheep's clothing almost (though I think that reference might be wrong). I didn't belong here, but I couldn't go back home for very long before I was forced to return here.

Oh God... why? Why did this happen to me? I know I didn't always appreciate the life I led, but was I really so horrible that this had to happen? Is this my punishment for harboring all those terrible thoughts about death and killing?

Over and over the cycle repeats itself. I find someplace I think I can fit in, and something comes to take me away from it all. Seventeen years of that vicious cycle have left me cold and broken. I've come to hate people and their pettiness. They're so vain and shallow, consumed by greed and lust and other dirty things. People are... absolutely despicable.

"Hey what are you doing out there?" someone yelled. I didn't bother looking to see who it was. They were only trying to appear kind and caring anyway. "You had better get home or you'll catch a terrible cold!"

"Like you care..." I muttered under my breath. But I stood up anyway, because I didn't want whoever that was to come bother me again. It didn't matter; I could find another tree to become the fairy of.

My hair and clothes stuck to my face and skin, completely saturated with rainwater. I shivered a bit, but kept my slow pace as I plodded along aimlessly down the streets of the German city. Somewhere, I faintly heard a clock chime twelve times. It was midnight, then.

Much against my wishes, my feet carried my back to the empty building. I shouldered the door open, instantly despising the warmth and cheerfulness I had stepped into. I knew they were watching me, Edward and Alphonse and Noa, as I walked through the apartment. They spoke, but their words didn't register in my brain.

I felt too horrible to notice anything but my own pain and suffering.

I was being selfish and greedy, just like those people I despised so much. I was no better than any of them, and I hated myself for it. That was why I wanted to die. I absolutely hated myself because I was just like everyone else. I was greedy and selfish and spiteful, giving only lip service to those who seemed a bit more worthy of hearing my words than someone else.

I felt a bit like an animal in a zoo. Unable to go home, and unable to break free from my dull and boring life. My cage was glorified to resemble a home... my gilded cage. The outside was all pretty and golden, but inside I could see how much of the opposite it was. I was like the cage, too. I was all dolled up on the outside in hopes of making a good impression on those who saw me, but inside I was ugly and dirty, stained by the darkness other people had forced upon me... that I had left myself victim to.

A gilded cage, a zoo animal, pearls and swine, raw ore and polished jewels... there were a million things I could use to compare my life to but one in particular stuck out most prominently: a person who was dying.

One might see someone on the street and think 'Oh, what a fine, healthy person he is!' They might even say that aloud. But... only he, the person who appeared healthy... would know what he was dying ever so slowly. Such was the nature of fatal diseases.

I went to my room and fell face first onto my bed. I wanted my heart to hurt, wanted it to ache so bad I could do nothing but cry. But it wouldn't. I was stoic, emotionless... I wondered if I even had a heart.

"Hey, are you okay?" I knew that voice well. It belonged to Alphonse... Al... He didn't seem as bad as the other people I'd met before. "Oh my... you're soaking wet! What were you doing?"

My arm was lifted and I was pulled to my feet. When I bothered to notice, I was being led to the bathroom. I was handed a towel and told to dry off, and that a change of clothes would be brought. Almost automatically, I pulled off my wet clothes and let them fall to the floor in soggy piles. I glanced around the room, my eyes landing on the mirror.

"I'm not the same anymore, am I?" I asked my reflection. She only mimicked the motions my lips made as I spoke, and wore the same expression.

I hated her. She had my green-brown eyes, my golden brown hair, my face and body. In her I saw myself, the disgusting emotions I'd always hidden inside me. Self-loathing, disgust, worthlessness, loneliness, malice... all of them were reflected in her eyes. My hand rested on the cold edge of the sink, and it moved to the right, where a razor usually rested. It had been sharpened recently, and shone brightly in the lighting. I hated it too, because it was shining brighter than I ever could. I was dull, boring, pathetic even. I had no special qualities; I wasn't pretty or exceptionally talented. I had nothing to set me apart from the crowd.

The blade was cold against my skin. I took pleasure in the stinging pain that came when I pressed the blade against my skin, adding pressure until blood was drawn. I made a small cut and moved to another part of my arm, making another. Within moments I had a small ring of cuts circling my arm, blood beading and dripping down my arm. It hurt, but it was pain I was familiar with... was comfortable inflicting upon myself.

I wouldn't actually kill myself (I didn't feel _that_ bad right now) but the pain on my arm was a pleasant substitute for the pain that I wanted to feel in my chest.

There was a knock at the door, and Al said he was leaving the change of clothes outside the door. I wiped my blood off the razor's blade and put it back where it belonged, fishing out bandages and wrapping them around my arm.

No one needed to know what I was feeling. I don't want them to. I don't want their sympathy... I don't need it. No one needed to know about this terrible cycle... the punishment I inflicted on myself. The circle of cuts on my arm, and the circles of scars from older cuts that covered my entire body... no one needed to know about them.

Don't touch me. Don't help me. I don't need it... any of it. There's only one person in the world that can help me... the person who can hear the anguished howl my heart has been making for as long as I can remember.

I don't want to be fixed. I don't want someone to heal me. I don't want these wounds to be closed. This pain tells me that I'm still alive. No one can save me.

The only person in the entire universe who can save me... is the one who can hear my heart's sorrowful howl.

* * *

_**Area 51 1/2 **__12-18-10: my mom gave me the coolest idea ever a few days ago. We were scanning the radio looking for a station what wasn't blasting X-mas carols (by the way, I heard my favorite one (it's an instrumental piece). I don't know the name of it, but we think it was remixed by Santana because it had crazy Spanish guitar parts in it) and we finally settled for B 92.9 and they were blasting Green Day's 'Do You Know Your Enemy?' So I was singing along to the words and my mom said something along the lines of 'Is he singing about anime?' so I told her it was enemy, but a song about anime would be pretty cool. So I'm either gonna have to contact Weird Al and propose the idea to him or create a songfic to post here. What do you think?_

_Oh, the fairy of the tree thing she's talking about is Arina Tanemura sensei's one shot 'Gin-yu Meika' that appears at the end of Full Moon O Sagashite volume two. I love her work, it's so pretty. She's, like, my idol? Her and Yuu Watase sensei and Clamp and Koge-Donbo sensei... absolutely stunning artwork! My goal is to become so good at drawing that I'm almost on the same level as them. And, of course, Hiromu Arakawa sensei, because she made the story that, while it has completely corrupted me, brought such happiness to my life. Without her, these fics wouldn't be possible. And she goes into such depth for a Shonen manga! I mean... it's astounding, really, how deep it is! In fact... I think the depth of FMA's plotline is almost bordering on shojo._

_Now, for something more relevant. This story is derived from actual experience. There was a time in my life where I felt the exact same things Rin's feeling. Those emotions are the very core of the character. Christin's growth as a character and as a human being spawn from those emotions, from feeling worthless and hurt. Al and Ed try to help her see that she isn't a burden or worthless. One person gets through to her, one doesn't. That's just how life works. I try to bring you the best story possible by bringing a sense of reality to the whole thing. If not the alchemy or magic or monsters or anything, then I'll make the emotions real. People do feel those things, and act in ways that are similar, if not exactly, like the characters do._

_Some of you may think that I'm just doing this to make her more interesting, but you're wrong. There are people who are like that in real life, and people who die because no one helps them. People are suicidal, people do harm themselves as a way to release their emotions (I would know; I'm one of them), people do get raped, people do fall in and out of love and get jealous and try to manipulate others. This story might be a fantasy, but the emotions everyone feels are very real. Please don't kill me about the 'shojo-depth' comment._


	4. Chapter 4

_The Kind-Hearted Boy and the Flowers_

Big, gorgeous, soft and beautifully pale.

"Al?" Brother asked. "What are you looking at?"

"Those," I replied, nodding towards a large bouquet of white roses.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, stuffing a hand in his pocket.

"I think she feels unwelcome. You're always yelling at her and Noa isn't exactly nice to her. It's been almost six months since she showed up," I said tersely, glancing at him pointedly. I saw him blush a bit as he looked away.

"That's because..." he stammered.

"You see yourself in her, don't you?" I asked. He flinched and I knew I hit it right on the mark. "I knew it; I knew there was something similar about you two!"

"I... don't want her life to get any more screwed up. Don't you wonder what happened to her to make her hate people... hate _herself..._ so much? She's like a younger, feminine me. I don't want her to get hurt because of us, but I..." he rambled.

"So you do have a heart!" I exclaimed. "You do care!"

"Stop announcing it to the world," he hissed, covering my mouth with his hand. I smiled and pushed him away.

"Y'know, it's okay to care about other people," I said. "You don't have to wear your heart on your sleeve, but you can be nicer."

"I'm plenty nice! She's just so irritating! It's like she purposefully tries to annoy me!" he raged.

"See?" I said firmly, pointing at him. "It's because of things like that she hates people. I bet you anything that people said stuff like that to her and she was really hurt by it."

"Have you seen her arms?" he asked softly. "There are so many scars. Small ones, but they're there. And on her legs and hands and..."

"So don't you think you should be a bit nicer to her? And don't think I'm just telling this to you. Noa's going to get an earful from me as well," I replied.

"But I..." he started.

I interrupted him before he could say any more. "Do you really want to become another scar on her body, Brother? There's only so much people can take before something breaks them. Even Mom was like that. She waited and waited for Dad to come back, but he never did and she died because of that. I don't want to see someone else die because of neglect."

His eyes widened like I had just punched him in the gut. I brushed past him, not caring what he did next.

It was like a fire had been ignited inside me. I didn't want her to feel bad enough to hurt herself anymore. She had said once that self harm hurt others too, but she was too blinded by her pain to see that... and she said that she would solve her problems herself.

Pain and pride went hand in hand. That girl reminded me of the stray cats I keep trying to save. She had a lot of pride, but no one to turn to. Brother could be like that too, prideful and in pain. My heart ached when I thought about all he did for me... sacrificing himself to save my life when he could've died himself.

In that moment, I realized that I was falling in love with her. I wanted to protect her, save her, do anything I could to get rid of those dark emotions that held her captive. I wanted to see her smile for no visible reason. I wanted her to look at me... wanted to see her face free of the sadness and loneliness. I wanted to make her happy.

I just hoped I could live up to my desires.

The bouquet was large and heavy in my arms. I felt a bit foolish carrying them but my own pride overrode any feelings of doubt I had. The whiteness of the flowers was bright and cheery against the dullness of the city. Also, they reminded me of purity, like new fallen snow. Beautiful and untouched by man. I wanted to think that underneath her darkness, she was beautiful and pure like the snow or the flowers I held in my hand.

"Hey, you're home," Christin greeted me as I walked through the door. "Ed got back a while ago. Did something happen?"

"No, not really," I replied.

"Oh, okay. What are the flowers for?" she inquired.

"Not what, who. And they're for you. It's been almost six months since you arrived. I just..." I floundered, my cheeks heating up almost unbearably as I held them out.

"For me?" she asked, looking like she didn't believe me. "For reals?"

"Uh, yes," I confirmed.

"Wow, thank you!" she exclaimed, taking them from me. Mentally, I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Uh... I'm going to change. It's boiling hot outside and I'm soaked with sweat," I said awkwardly walking past her. I passed Brother in the hall. He half smiled at me. I returned the gesture.

I couldn't help looking over my shoulder. She stood there holding the flowers like they were fragile pieces of glass. She brought them to her face and I saw the smile I wanted to see.


	5. Chapter 5

_Ed and the Gutter_

When I shouldered open the door the first thing I heard was a feminine voice.

"Ah, it's dripping!" Christin's voice laughed.

"So lick it!" Alphonse's voice replied.

"My face is getting all sticky!"

They were close by, from the loudness of their voices. I don't know why, but I crept up close to the wall to eavesdrop. I was very careful to be as silent as possible, mostly because that girl had quite a temper. Their conversation was... I'll admit it, intriguing. And a bit dirty, I had to say.

"You're getting it everywhere," Alphonse chuckled.

"Like that's my fault? Oh, it's all over my hands now too!" she retorted.

"You're the one eating. It's normally not that messy."

"I wonder if I could fit the whole thing in my mouth..."

"Bet you can't. You'll just make a bigger mess," he teased.

"Five bucks says I can," she sneered.

That was it. The thought of those two... I shivered at the thought.

"What the hell is going on?" I demanded.

"Ice cream," Christin replied, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. In the other were the remnants of a chocolate ice cream cone, the brown stuff dripping over her hands and down her bare arms. A small voice in the back of my head reminded me that it was July and very warm outside, so it was only natural that people would try to keep themselves cool.

"What'd you think we were doing?" Alphonse asked seriously. I felt my face heat up and wished I was dead.

She leaned over and whispered something in his ear. He turned about twenty shades of red and looked at me accusingly.

"Get your mind out of the gutter," he spat.

"Really Ed, I'd expect that from the lowlife prowling the streets, but I thought you were above that. You're supposed to be Al's role model," she chided, ginning mischievously. "Try to reign in your perversion a bit, 'kay?"

"I regret ever meeting you," I spat, turning sharply on my heel and storming away.

"Aw, its okay, Ed! I promise I'll keep it a secret that you're a pervert!" she called after me.

"It won't stay secret if you keep shouting like that!" I snapped, slamming the door behind me. I hid my face behind my hands trying to force the blood rushing to my cheeks back inside me. That girl really knew how to annoy people. And I couldn't figure out why the hell I was smiling.

* * *

_**Area 51 1/2 **__12-18-10: I don't know where I got this idea, honestly. Maybe it was because I was eating a candy cane (one of the jumbo ones) and my hands and face were getting sticky. I'm really a messy eater sometimes. The idea just sorta... grew from that, I guess. And I enjoy poking fun at Ed... A lot. He's so easy to poke fun at, though he'd probably beat me up or something in real life for writing things like this. Ah well, that's the price of a good story, I guess._


	6. Chapter 6

**_This one goes after chapter 11. Like... directly. Just sayin'..._**

_Mustang's Miniature Monologue_

"That's gross!" Edward's voice screamed. I rolled my eye at his exclamation.

"Oh, you liked it and you know it," Christin huffed, folding her arms. "Friggin' prick..." she muttered.

"Dare I ask what you did," I grumbled.

"I... said goodbye," she replied with a mischievous grin. "He got jealous because Al kissed me so..."

"Brigadier General Mustang..." a lower officer stated, indicating to the open door in the side of the hallway. "Miss Fallbrook."

"Ugh, this place gives me the creeps," she muttered.

"It'd be best if you kept your mouth shut for the time being," I hissed. She rolled her eyes but obeyed. The contract for the adoption was drawn up quickly, because everyone had work they had to attend to. It was signed and we were sent on our way. I felt odd because I now had most of the day to myself.

"Something wrong?" she asked on the drive back home. "You look like something's eating you."

"I'm not used to having most of the day off," I replied.

"Oh..." she said, folding her hands and resting them in her lap. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For... saving me."

The rest of the ride was silent and I couldn't help thinking that she looked sad. Well, she had come pretty close to becoming the military's latest experiment, so I suppose she had a good reason to have that weird expression on her face.

"I live by myself, so you can have your own room. I have a date tonight so you'll be here by yourself for a while and..." I said lamely. I never had any kids, so how the hell was I supposed to know how to care for one? Hell, I barely managed to keep the Elric brothers under control.

"Don't worry. I'm... I'm used to being alone and having to take care of myself," she replied distantly. "That's the room, right? I'll go get settled then." With that, she vanished behind the door, leaving me standing in the main room like a fool.

Maybe I was seeing things wrong, but it looked like that girl had some sort of problem with being alone. She was seventeen, from what I'd heard, so she probably knew how to manage on her own at least a little, but the way she talked about it said that she had to take care of herself for a long time. That, and she didn't like it.

"Oh, before I forget, what should I call you?" she asked, sticking her head out the door.

"Beg pardon?" I replied.

"I mean, I'm legally your child now, so should I call you 'Dad' or 'Mustang' or 'Roy' or what?" she explained.

"You can call me whatever you want, I suppose," I shrugged. "I've never had a kid before, so..."

"Oh, okay, Roy," she replied, smiling briefly and disappearing behind the door again. Not two seconds later she popped back out. "I just remembered that I left all my things at Riza's place. Could you possibly take me over there to get them sometime soon?"

"Why so formal?"

"Uh... I act strangely when I'm uncomfortable. It'll get better in a few days, I promise," she laughed a little. "People get annoyed with it sometimes, so if it gets on your nerves or something tell me and I'll fix it."

"How can you fix it?" I had to ask.

"I'll avoid you until I'm comfortable again," she shrugged one shoulder and tugged on the ribbon tied around her neck.

"Okay..." I said, feeling slightly uneasy. For some reason or another, I was starting to feel uncomfortable around her. Maybe it was the fact that I suddenly had a kid to look after, or the fact that she kind of threw me off balance with her bizarre attitude and behavior.

"I'll... just be in here if you need me, then," she said awkwardly, ducking back behind the door for the third time in the past ten minutes.

Before I knew what I was doing, I had picked up the telephone and dialed.

"Who is it?" a woman's voice asked cheerfully.

"It's me," I replied, mentally kicking myself. Could I have sounded any stupider?

"Roy! I'm so glad to hear your voice! I'm so excited about tonight, I just can't sit still!" she squealed.

"I'm glad to hear that. Unfortunately, something came up and I'm afraid I'll have to postpone our date by at least a few hours, Marie," I said.

"Really? What happened? Are you okay?" Marie asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just that I have something to take care of. I can't disclose the details but you know what they say about good things coming to those who wait," I replied, feeling a little smug. And, perhaps, a bit guilty.

"I understand. I'll see you later," she chirped.

"You're a pretty smooth talker." I nearly jumped out of my skin and dropped the receiver. "I mean, I was witness to a bit of it over the past few days, but she was putty in your hands," Christin said.

"How long have you been there?" I asked.

"Not long, a few minutes maybe. I'm very good at keeping quiet," she smirked. "But I have to wonder why you postponed your date. I've heard that you're the personification of the word 'womanizer' so, you know."

"As much as this kills my ego, I don't want to leave you alone. Riza told me about your... uh..." I stalled, feeling my cheeks heat up.

"Suicide attempts?" she finished for me. Unable to speak, I nodded and bit my lip.

"You looked upset when I told you that I was going out tonight, and I didn't want you to... try again," I finished lamely.

"I appreciate that," she smiled, a gesture I was beginning to like. "But you didn't have to. I've been taking care of myself since I was a little girl, so I can manage a few hours on my own. Unless... you don't plan on coming back tonight. Or should I expect someone to come here?"

"What are you trying to say?" I asked.

"I'm asking if you're planning to sleep with your date at her place or bring her back here to do that. I need to know if I'll need earplugs or not," she smirked.

"Maybe you're not as horrible as everyone says you are," I snickered.

"You said that the last time too," she pointed out. "When we went skating."

"Did I?" I asked.

"You also said that people called me 'barbaric', 'animalistic', and all sorts of insulting things," she nodded.

"Other people called you those things, the ignorant masses. As far as human beings go, you're better than most," I chattered, wondering what the hell I was talking about.

"What are you trying to say?" she asked warily.

"I guess... I'm trying to say that I like you, and I'm glad things turned out the way they did," I admitted. I felt awfully foolish for saying it, but I also felt a bit better, like a weight had been lifted. For a moment, it looked as if she'd been punched in the stomach.

She smiled again, brighter than before, "Yeah, me too."

The awkwardness of the situation made me turn away and head towards the bathroom so I could clean up. Slender arms snaked across my middle and squeezed me tightly.

"Thank you so much, Roy. You saved my life... thank you," she whispered, though I could hear the sobs she was trying to hide. I turned around in her grip and hugged her back.

* * *

_**Area 51 1/2 **__12-22-10: Ugh, I'm so sick of waiting! Why can't Saturday come already? I want to open my gifts because I saw the sticker saying that it (a DVD shaped present) was 'as seen on adult swim' so I think I might be getting some FMA anime! Squee! That and I'm pretty sure I got new headphones, which I really, really need because the one's I'm using now I've had for two years and are held together with oodles of tape. It's been raining all week, ever since school got out for me last week._

_My muscles are still sore from the bowling I did with my friends Sunday. We had a huge battle over what our names would be. I somehow or another wound up as 'Elric Hellric'. Go figure, right? But, it was better than being Rinchee Monkey..._

_This story was easy to write, but it's the last of the Perspective series, most likely. I forgot how annoying it was to write in first person. I only write first person when I write letters and whatnot. Well, there's one that comes after this one, but I wrote that one before this one, so they're a little out of order. But they're in order chronologically according to how book 1 played out, so it's okay, I suppose._


	7. Chapter 7

**_Pretty easy to figure out which chapter this one is connected to..._**

_From Edward, With Love_

It was still dark when I woke up, well as dark as it can get when one's lover has glowing tattoos. I brushed my hair out of my eyes and sighed.

I felt strange. It wasn't a bad kind of strange, but it was strange nonetheless. I felt appallingly self-conscious and maybe a bit embarrassed. And on some level I was proud. What had happened was a perfectly normal human instinct... so why did I feel weird? Was it because that was the first time it happened? I was embarrassed to even think about losing my virginity.

It was easy to explain why I felt self-conscious and embarrassed, however. I wasn't out of shape or anything, but I didn't particularly like flaunting my body like vain girls sometimes did. And there were a few guys who did the same, but I wasn't one of them. What really made me feel awkward was the fact that the woman I loved had not only seen my body, but touched me as well. My skin tingled at the memory and I shivered involuntarily.

"Damn that phone! Why the hell is it vibrating?" Christin grumbled. I had to laugh.

"Phones don't vibrate. That was me," I snickered.

"Oh. Something wrong?" she asked, rubbing her eye sleepily and tightening her grip on a pillow.

"No, I was just thinking," I replied, tucking my hair behind my ear. It could be slightly bothersome when it wasn't tied back.

"About what?"

"... what happened," I finally replied.

"Typical. All men think about is sex," she scoffed.

"Bullshit," I snorted.

"I'm just teasing you, Ed," she laughed softly. "I know you think about more than just getting into my pants."

"Thanks for the endorsement," I replied stiffly.

"No, really!" she insisted. "You're so smart and good-looking and strong and... and everything else I'm not. I really admire that."

"You admire me?" I asked, lying on my side so I could look at her.

"Yes, I do. You're... you're everything I wish I could be. I'm not smart or pretty or physically fit or anything like that. Those are qualities that I admire," she nodded.

"I'm getting confused. Do you admire me or love me?" I inquired.

She looked at me and smiled, "Both."

"Both?"

"Yeah, why? You're not going to take it back, are you?" she sat up, alarmed.

"Relax. I meant it when I said I love you and I'll be damned if I take it back," I laughed, tugging on a lock of her hair. "Besides, I don't think I can take back my virginity."

"No, I'm keeping that," she smiled. "Your virginity..." she kissed my forehead, "...and you..." another kiss, "...every single cell... on your body... belongs to me," she planted a kiss somewhere on my face in between words. "Okay?"

"That's fine with me," I replied, kissing her back firmly on the mouth. "But you also belong to me," I added.

"Naturally," she smiled. "It's not like I like other people that much anyway. I hate being touched."

"Oh, right, I forgot," I said, taking my hand off hers.

"No! You can touch me, I just meant that I hate when other people touch me! You can... I mean, I sl... s-slept with you, after all..." she stammered.

"You still can't say it, can you?" I asked, stifling a snicker.

"Fuck you. Actions speak louder than words," she sniffed.

"Sounds like an invitation to me," I shrugged, grabbing her arm and moving so I was in front of her.

She grabbed my face and kissed me again, this time more passionately. I loosened my grip on her arm, because I didn't want my automail to accidentally break her arm. I'd absolutely hate myself if I let that happen. She was too important... too precious to even think of hurting. She had been the one to open my heart. A whole onslaught of emotions I'd never known existed had been introduced to me because of her. I knew now what it felt like to love someone so much it hurt... how lonely it could get... how much I could miss someone... and how much I hated anyone who wanted to hurt the one I loved.

"Why... out of everyone else... did you choose me?" she asked breathily.

"Why? Because... I think you deserve it most," I replied, kissing her jaw line and moving down to her neck and collarbone. She moaned softly once or twice. Her hand fisted in my hair and her back arched a bit, pressing her chest against mine. She was soft... so soft... warm... I never wanted to let her go. It wasn't something I normally thought, but I wanted to believe that this moment would last forever. Eternally entwined, oblivious to the outside world...

It was moments like these that I'd never forget... moments that became memories I'd cherish to the day I died. The contours of her body... the warmth and scent of her skin... the sound of her voice as she said my name over and over, encouraging me... these things became etched in my mind.

"You're crying again. Did I hurt you?" I asked, afraid I had.

Please don't cry. I hate seeing you so sad. When I see you cry... it's like my heart's being torn to shreds. I can't bear to see you cry. It makes me want to hold you tight until you're happy again.

"No... you didn't. I guess I'm just in shock. I never expected this to happen to me, you know? Maybe I'm relieved... or happy?" she sighed deeply, her chest swelling to fill my hand where it rested against her breast.

"Don't cry for me. Please... don't cry. I can't stand seeing you cry. For me... or about me... please don't cry."

She looked at me, her green eyes shining from the water spilling from them. Caught up in the tenderness of the moment, I licked the tears away and kissed her repeatedly.

"Why are you so beautiful?" I had to ask, smoothing her hair out of her face carefully, so it wouldn't get caught in my automail.

"Because you make me beautiful, Ed. Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, and that's how you see me," she replied softly. "It's all a matter of perspective."

"That's pretty logical coming from you," I chuckled.

"I lied. It's magic," she smirked. "You're under my spell and you'll be cursed for the rest of your life because of my spell."

"What time is it?" I asked. The sun wasn't out yet, so it was obviously still nighttime, but the sky looked the same as it had when we first...

"About three in the morning," she replied, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Oh, alright. You can go back to sleep now," I said, feeling slightly awkward.

"Didn't realize I needed your permission," she yawned, snuggling up close to me. It wasn't long before she was alseep and I smiled to myself, think I was so god damn lucky.

* * *

_**Area 51 1/2**__ 12-18-10: this one was a bit tricky to write. It wasn't so much what was going on, but putting it in a guy's perspective that was difficult. I'm a girl, so I don't know exactly how a man's mind functions. But this is what I'd like to imagine he was thinking at that point in time. And, of course, I'm sure he's thinking about other things, but an author has to single out the thoughts and feelings that she (or he) feels is most important for what's being written (besides, this story is supposed to be sentimental and emotional and all that mushy, gooey stuff, so he's not going to be mentally bragging about how he got laid or whatever [oh, but I did mention that he felt a bit proud... huh...]). I think that deep down inside Ed's really sentimental and deep. Well, of course I think that. Every fangirl on the earth thinks that... or anyone who's loved someone with all their heart. We want to think the best of the one we love._

_And I've gotta wonder... do I have any male readers? I know romance and stuff is popular among girls (women) but there's also a lot of action and even blood and killing. But I'm a girl, so I don't know what guys like to read about. I mean, I know there are guys out there in the world that like all the romantic crap, but I've still got to wonder... Y'know, now that I think about it I'm pretty sure... no maybe not... usernames aren't terribly gender-specific._

_This installment of the Perspective series I like a lot. I've proven that Ed's not just a pretty face and a hot body! He's got a heart. Maybe that's why so many people like him..._


	8. Chapter 8

Illness at Daybreak

"Are you sure you're alright?" Edward asked warily.

"Yeah, I'm alright now..." Christin sighed, tilting her head back and gazing at the ceiling.

"Don't hesitate to ask if you need something," he added, smoothing her hair out of her face.

"I really love it when you get cheesy like that," she grinned.

"That's hardly cheesy," he replied stiffly.

"So get cheesier," she chuckled.

"No..." he mumbled.

"Come on, you know you want to. Tell me you love me, how you'll always love me, how I'm everything you've ever imagined and more, how I'm the manifestation of all your favorite things, how life would have no meaning without me," she goaded him, tying her hair back and going to the sink to wash her mouth clean of vomit.

"It's kinda hard to say things like that when I've just watched you throw up, again," he enunciated the last word and rolled his eyes.

"Why do they call it morning sickness? It's two in the flippin' afternoon! And why does one get so tired after vomiting?" she griped, slumping over the edge of the sink.

"Don't ask me, I'm not the one who's pregnant," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Yes, but it's partially your fault," she hissed, though it lacked any real force. She turned and started walking towards the door, but fatigue suddenly overcame her, as well as a sharp pain in her head. She stumbled.

"For crying out loud, just say it already," Edward hissed as he caught her.

"Please help me..." she said so pathetically that he burst out laughing and nearly dropped her.

"See? Was that really so hard?" he teased.

"You've just tread dirt on this warrior's honor," she mumbled as he easily lifted her off the floor, one arm under her legs and the other around her shoulders.

"When the hell did you become a warrior?" he chortled.

"A few seconds ago..." she sighed wearily as Edward set her gently on the bed they shared. It didn't matter which side: there was no 'his side, her side' like most couples.

"This reminds me of that first time you got sick," he chuckled.

"It does?" she asked.

"you don't remember?" he asked. "You got violently ill and we had to take you to the hospital. You kept throwing up and we had to carry you home."

"You mean you carried me home. I remember you carried me on your back like I was a little kid. I was completely loopy from the medicine they had given me. Al and Noa stayed behind to take care of the paperwork."

"You also threw up on me a few times once we finally got home," he grimaced.

"Did I ever apologize for that?" she asked meekly.

"No!" he snapped. "But it doesn't matter. I can't blame you for getting sick."

"But I can blame you this time," she said smugly.

"Yes, you can..." he mumbled.

"Thanks for taking care of me," she smiled.

"It's nothing. After all, I love you. I impregnated you, so I should take responsibility..." he mumbled blushing.

"Aw, come on, you can get cheesier than that!" she whined. "Say something really out of character!"

"Okay... your eyes are as green and endless as the hills of Resembool, their beauty transcended only by what they make the world to be. You percieve the world as somethingsacred, something beautiful. Everything is full of magic and mystery when I see it through your eyes. Or shall I speak fo your..."

"Okay, that's enough," she laughed, placing a hand over his mouth.

* * *

_**Area 51 1/2 **__3-25-11: sorry about the slightly gross story. I got sick recently and simply had to write about it. The title for this one is a strange way of wording 'morning sickness' by the way. This happens when she's pregnant with Toby._

_Alright, here's what really happened: my mom had taken us (herself, me and my little brother) out to eat at a Mexican restaurant downtown. I don't know, maybe it was the burrito-hot chocolate combination or just my body being weird, but I got really sick a few hours after eating. I (my most sincere apologies for this gruesome story) started vomiting around six Wednesday evening (the 23rd) and didn't stop until after midnight. It was so bad that my mom had to take me to the hospital! I was hooked up to an IV and everything. And it only got worse with the explosive *_**CENSORED**_* and I even puked after the nurse had given me nausea medication! But the nurse-lady who checked me in was very nice, and I found out she likes FMA too! She asked me where I got my wristband and I told her that I bought it in a store in a mall in Phoenix, but other anime goods I had ordered off amazon. I even managed to draw her a picture of Ed and one of the twins._

_Still, it was a grueling experience for me. I'm normally very healthy and hardly ever have to go to the hospital. I think the last time I was in the hospital for a prolonged period was when I'd fractured my left arm when I was in the sixth grade. Threw up twice in the lobby and again after the nurse gave me a second dose of nausea medication. I had to throw out one of my favorite pair of panties because of what was censored above because I didn't want to burden my mom with cleaning them. I got another dose of nausea medication. I didn't puke that one up but it did make me really loopy and I felt like a poorly strung marrionette. When I went to the bathroom one time, I clung to the IV thing like it was my entire universe! And I got so violently cold after I finished a puking session that I was shivering insanely! I had three warm blankets piled on me (oh my god, those things were like pieces of heaven... so warm and comforting...) and on top of those this huge black overcoat my mom made me wear when she finally made me leave the house and go to the hospital. Of course, I was horribly mismatched: pink plaid rain boots, courtesy of my mother, M&M pajama pants and a long-sleeved undershirt that looked like someone had spilled bleach on it. And of course, my beloved red sweater, which I admit to pretending I've 'borrowed' from Ed._

_The doctors said it was stomach flu... I think. Remember, I was totally doped up on medicine, so my memory may not be very clear. But I was so glad because I had been really worried about my period because I hadn't gotten it yet for March and somehow began thinking I was pregnant. Oh, the lady who checked me in, Suzanna (I think that was her name... again, I blame the meds) asked if the vomiting was pregnancy related and my mom was all 'Are you pregnant?' and I naturally responded 'No, I shouldn't be,' because I'm such a total wimp that I haven't even kissed a guy yet, let alone slept with someone. And then she told the doctor who examined me (he was a male doctor, no less, to my slight chagrin) that 'She's due for her peroid soon so her ovaries may be swollen,' and all I could think of after that was this stupid clip from a YouTube video I saw called 'FMA Oddities' in which Envy moans 'Oh, my ovaries' and I just laughed mentally at my ability to relate even my pain and discomfort to FMA. Then I remembered Ed throwing up in the manga and new anime when he's digging up the corpse of his transmuted mother and thought 'Oh, he ate some bad Mexican food too, eh?' I blame the meds for that erratic thought too. Ugh, and they drew blood too... like... four or five of those small plastic vials? How many are filled normally? Is there such a thing as a 'normal' hospital visit? Or is that just a check-up, then? I wouldn't know, I am actually pretty healthy though I never work out and eat a lot of junk food and other stuff that people say will make you fat and give you diabetes..._

_Oh, but my period started shortly after we returned home, so no sudden, shocking, unplanned pegnancies for me! At least, not yet. I am half expecting to wake up one day a few years from now with some random guy next to me and his baby in my belly. I know babies don't grow in the belly, but I feel better saying 'belly' instead of 'uterus' for some reason. Maybe I'll get lucky and he'll at least _look_ like Ed..._

_I think I'll not eat Mexican food ever again. I still wonder if that includes Taco Bell... but it'll cause problems when my dad takes us to eat at Cantina Laredo, a _Mexican_ restaurant that his girlfriend works at. And normally I love the food there, too..._

_I spent all of... well, most of Thursday asleep, since my mom and I got home around four or five in the morning. I missed school that day, and was kinda disappointed that it was canceled on Friday (today) for some strange reason._

_But I am recovering. I've been able to eat a bit, though I can get terribly woozy when I get up sometimes. My mom says its just low blood-sugar because I've scarcely eaten in two days (normally I'm almost always snacking, at least). I had some Jell-o not too long ago and now I'm carefully sipping some chamomile tea. And some ginger ale in between the tea. I really want to get back to eating normal foods though, because me mom bought me stuff the make Shirley Temples! I love that drink, I don't know why, but I absolutely love it!_

_So hopefully I'll be better in a few days. Like, completely better, I mean. Good thing I'm on spring break right now, huh? The meteorologists claim that it'll get warmer after Sunday, but considering their past predictions, I am not sure about these ones... this past week as seen some pretty heavy winter weather... which also factor into the delays. I offer this fluff-shot as a token of apology!_

_I love making Ed uncharacteristically cheesy. I just find it so easy to mess with him..._

_Sorry about the yucky story..._


	9. Chapter 9

Awestruck

It was eerily silent in the house.

The slience was broken by a shriek.

"Nervous?" Alphonse asked.

"Try useless..." Edward muttered sourly.

"It's not like we're little again. You don't have to stand around, wondering what the hell to do this time around," the younger brother scoffed.

"Doesn't change the fact that I'm scared as hell," Edward mumbled, drawing his knees up to his chin and burying his head in his arms.

"Aislinn knows what she's doing, trust me," Alphonse said distanly. Edward glanced at his brother's daughter, a girl barely a year old called Ai, named after her mother. She cooed and clapped her hands.

"Whatever..."

"Things will be fine. She isn't going to die or anything, you know."

Edward snapped. "Will you stop it? Every word that comes outta your mouth irritates me!"

"Fine. Suffer through this on your own, then," Alphonse replied snidely, balancing Ai on his hip and heading for the door.

"Wait!" Edward called, lunging for his brother. "I'm just really scared... please don't leave..." he pleaded to his brother's back.

"I understand," Alphonse nodded.

The blond smiled, temporarily relieved.

"It should be you up there, you know," Alphonse murmuerd as Marcus tromped downstairs then back up with an armload of towels.

"What could I do? I'd just stand there like a fool..."

"Sometimes, you don't need to do much of anything. Just being there is a huge help," Alphonse said wisely. "Knowing you're here is comforting enough, but she'd rather have you at her side. This is a major step forward in your life. You should be there to witness it."

"Your presence has been requested," Riza announced, coming down the stairs.

"Me?" Edward asked stupidly.

"I ought to kill him!" Christin screeched.

"I don't think..." he started.

"Now," Riza said firmly.

"Yes, ma'am..." he grumbled, trudging up the stairs after her.

What else was he going to do? Alphonse had been right, as he so often was. Bedises... it was kinda his fault to begin with. He should take responsibility.

If he hadn't known better, he would've guessed she was sleeping. Her eyes were closed and her hair was damp with sweat and pushed out of her face. She clawed at the air and her face twisted in pain. He caught her hand with his own, and she opened her eyes.

"You're so dead," she chuckled darkly.

"I figured as much," he replied wryly.

He could see the veins on her hand, standing out from the strain. He thought she might crush his hand, though it was made of tough metal. He wanted to cringe each time she screamed, but forced himself not to. Part of his duty as a man... as a husband... was to be there when his wife needed it, especially now when she was birthing their child. That was all he could do, really, was be there.

He had allowed his mind to wander a bit, recalling important moments of his life. He was certain this would be another one of those moments. It simply had to be. Everything... he would remember it all: the way she tried not to scream in pain, how he smoothed her hair out of her face, the encouraging words from his friends... everything was perfectly etched in his mind.

There was a cry and he felt his breathing stop for a moment or two.

"Well, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Aislinn said smugly, wiping sweat off her forehead.

"Says you," Christin spat wearily.

"Well done," Winry added as she wiped blood off a pudgy pink blob. "A healthy baby boy. Congratulations, you're officially parents now."

Christin had a strange expression on her face. He couldn't tell if it was awe or disbelief or even relief. She was trembling a bit and still held his hand firmly. He wriggled his automail free and hugged her. He felt her go limp in his arms, understanding why. It had looked terribly painful, so he couldn't imagine how painful it actually was. Did it hurt as bad as it had when he lost his leg or arm? Did it hurt more?

"Now comes the challenging part," Aislinn snickered, walking over to them with the pink blob wrapped in a blanket. "Naming him."

"What fun," Marcus drawled.

"Oh, put a sock in it," Winry chided gently.

"So you're the one who's been beating me up," Christin chattered tiredly to the baby. It looked first at her, then at Edward with large golden eyes.

"He takes after me," Edward smirked.

"No shit Sherlock. How'd you reach that deduction?" she replied sarcastically.

"Holler if you need anything," Marcus called as he and the other two left the room.

"What should we call him?" Edward asked in a whisper, sitting on the bed next to Christin.

"You name him. I named Marcus; it's your turn now," she sighed. He knew she wasn't annoyed, she was just tired. And really, he couldn't blame her.

He thought. Nothing really seemed to come to mind at first. His mind was still struggling to grasp the fact that he had a child now. That he was a father now, not just a husband. Seeing his son... the face that looked so similar to his, his golden eyes, his blond hair... his personality must reflect his mother's, since he could see no physical trait that echoed her. He was a father. He had someone to protect, someone he had to protect. It wasn't the same drive of protection he felt for his wife. That was by his own volition. Now that this little boy was here... the little boy he had helped bring into the world... he was obliged to protect him. He may be bound by contract to her, but to this boy he was bound by blood.

Was this how his father had felt when he was born?

"Now, now..." she chided softly, reaching up to his face and wiping away the tears he hadn't known had fallen. "I'm counting on you to help take care of him. You can't get all weepy right now."

"I can't seem to help myself..." he mumbled, rubbing at his eyes.

"You can take your time. He doesn't need a name right away, you know," she smiled warmly at him. "Oh my god, my entire lower half is in pain!"

He had to laugh. "I'm sorry?"

"You better be. Okay, no more kids until he's at least five," she huffed.

"Why's that?" he inquired.

"Look, you try pushing something as big as this," she held up the baby, "...out of a hole the size of a lemon and tell me how it goes."

"Alright, alright, no kids for five years," he chuckled. "Five years is a long time..."

"I said no kids. That doesn't mean no sex," she snickered.

"Oh, really?" he asked with mock surprise.

"No. You are forbidden from touching me ever again," she retorted with mock seriousness.

"I've been known to break the rules," he murmured, resting his head on top of hers. Though he wasn't looking, he knew she was smiling.

* * *

Several weeks passed and the baby still had no name.

"Are you going to call him Baby for the rest of his life?" Pinako asked, measuring a length of metal that would be molded into an automail frame.

"Ed said he was still thinking," Christin sighed. "I don't want him to be pressured into anything."

"I named my son three days after he was born. Three weeks is way too long to wait for a name," the old biddy huffed.

"I named that one," Christin nodded towards Marcus.

"Yo!" he said too eagerly, looking up from his book.

"So it's only fair that Ed name this one," she glanced down at the infant as he nursed.

Edward groaned and let his head hit the wall. He could hear the conversation perfectly and knew that he _was_ being pressured on some level.

But he just couldn't think of anything! He didn't want to give the kid any ol' name...

_"Mom, why's my name Edward?" he had asked his mother one day._

_"Well, a long time ago there was a king named Edward. He helped unify the different groups of people that would make up the nation of Amestris and did many great things with his life. Some stories say that he learned alchemy from a great sage and taught it to the common people. He was an amazing man and many people loved him, not just because of what he did for his country, but because of who he was as a person. When I first laid eyes on you after you were born, I knew that you would grow up to be an amazing person, just like King Edward. That is why your name is Edward, because you will be a great man some day, just like he was," Trisha replied, ruffling his hair fondly._

_"So, do you really think I'll be a great man some day?" he asked eagerly._

_"Absolutely," she smiled._

_"Alright! I'll do everything I can to be a great person!" he said firmly. His mother laughed softly._

"Better pick something before they come after you with torches and pitchforks," Marcus snickered as he replaced the book back on the shelf.

"Am I a monster?" Edward asked.

"Hell hath no fury like my mother scorned," Marcus replied grimly.

"Seriously," the blond agreed.

"Honestly, I'm a bit jealous," the eighteen-year-old snorted.

"Jealous? What, of childbirth?" Edward asked flatly.

"No... of how the squid was born. He's going to grow up like any other person would," MArcus said softly.

Edward looked at the ground. He wasn't sure how to respond to that.

"I mean, I'm not ungrateful for what she did. I understand the stress of her situation at the time and that she had no means to care for me and I'm glad I'm the way I am now, but I'm still a little jealous that he gets to be normal, you know?"

"To be perfectly frank, I think she liked raising you better. You didn't wake her up at two in the morning, screaming your head off," Edward chuckled.

"That I did not do," Marcus laughed. "It's a little weird to see her acting so motherly. I mean, this is the woman who will beat you senseless for no reason at all."

"I kinda like it..." Edward mumbled softly.

"That doesn't surprise me, since you're so besotted," he snickered and walked away.

Edward returned to staring blankly at the bookshelf. There was a history book, some light novels, a few thick novels, a dictionary, quite a few automail books, some medical books, a couple magazines and a box filled with who knew what.

One in particular caught his eye, a small red book with a broken spine and yellowed pages. It was an old book, obviously, but he was familiar with it. Quite familiar with it, actually. He had read it numerous times. It was a collection of war letters, collected and assembled in chronological order and depicted the soldier's experiences in the war. He ahd read it often because the soldier writing the letters was some uncle he never knew on his mom's side of the family. The last letter in the book was always the saddest. It was describing his stay in the hospital after a serious injury: how kind the nurses were, how much his leg (which had been badly burned and later amputated) hurt, how crummy the food was sometimes. He started to talk about how eager he was to go back home and see his family, because a legless soldier couldn't fight very well when he was still recovering, when the words just stopped.

_**"I'm not at all ashamed of my mistake. To err is human, you know. Why should I be perfect? I'm human like anyone else; being a soldier doesn't make me perfect. I only become a glorified role model for people and little kids at home, far away from the battlefield and war's horrific horrors. So what if my leg was burned and cut off? At least I won't have to fight anymore, right? I'll be able to come home and see you all again. Especially Trisha, my darling little sister. I heard she's being courted by someone, a man called Hohenheim, I believe. I'll be able to threaten him properly when I come back home. Letters don't have the same voice an actual voice does. Though, if Trisha likes him well enough, I'm sure I will too. Marie is getting a letter of her own, but I want to make sure someone, preferrably Trisha, tells her that we can get married sooner now tha-"**_

That was where the letter ended, the letter 'a' being dragged out across the page.

That was when he died. Right in the middle of writing about getting married.

Edward didn't need to open the book to read that passage anymore; he had memorized it. He had always thought it was strange that the man had signed his name before writing the letter itself, but he liked that his uncle's name was included in that last letter.

_**'Tobias.'**_

Why didn't he think of that before? It was perfect. The uncle he had admired so much for being so brave... who he could relate to once he lost his own leg... he was a fool not to notice it sooner.

"Quit running around like a wild animal, Ed," Pinako chided as Edward stormed into the room.

"Tobias," he said firmly.

"Say what?" the old woman asked.

"Tobias..." Christin repeated thoughtfully.

"Tobias," he said even more firmly, crossing his arms across his chest and nodding for emphasis.

"Toby," Christin mumbled, her lips curling upwards into a smile. "Perfect."

"Anything's perfect if you can make a nickname out of it," he rolled his eyes.

"True that. I do like giving people nicknames," she nodded.

"Well, it's about time," Aislinn huffed as she entered the room. "I'm so glad my nephew has a name now."

" 'Scuse me," Edward replied stiffly.

Alphonse smiled appreciatively at his brother. This was a major step forward in his life.

It took a moment, but the blond smiled back. He had completed one part of the test of being a father. He had a child of his own, now, Tobias. Yet another reason to be unbelievably happy.

* * *

_**Area 51 1/2 **__3-22-11: Um... no idea where this one came from. Halfway into the one-shot, I started writing in first person (Ed's POV, actually) because I was re-reading... something where he talks in first person. Oops, I mean narrates. There's _From Edward, With Love,_ that's in this story ( a chapter, I meant)... and the new under-fifteen-chapter-story I'm starting, in which the whole thing is seen through Ed's eyes. I was reading one of those and went back to working on this one and realized that I was typing in first person._

_It's kinda strange... I used to write in first person only, then I switched to third person because I was sick of having to write out the POV changes (see Nightmare Realms) and now, all of a sudden, I'm wanting to switch back to first... I'm so fickle with my writing style._

_But I've only got a few chapters in this story that are in first person while EVERYTHING ELSE I'VE WRITTEN is in third person (books 1 & 2, ALBE, TMM [which is going to be redone again... forgive me...], AEN, H&H, Unwanted, HF, etc...) but my new -15 story is in first person, so yeah._

_So, power was out yet again but it's back on now and I'm happy because I had a hot shower and soemthing warm to eat. But the weather's supposed to get crappy again, so don't expect an update for anything too soon... I'm just saying, with my luck the power's gone out almost every major storm we've had (though it may very well be the Bad Juju of the Chocolate Fudge Pop-Tarts, who knows?) so don't be hunched over in front of your computers waiting for that email that says a new chapter has been added to 'insert story title here' all month, okay?_

_Be on the lookout for a new story, a boy's love romantic comedy entitled 'The Heartthrob Alchemist'! It'll be entirely in Ed's POV, so wish me luck! ;=_=;_

_Uh... for some reason I call babies and other small squishy things 'squids' so just deal with that. It's a strange quirk of mine..._

_So, woot! The origin of Toby's name! Ed's family wasn't really explored in depth, so who knows? He may actually have had an uncle on his mother's side named Tobias, who was in the war and lost a leg (this obviously can't be the Ishbalan Conflict, the timing isn't right) and died while writing a letter that said he'd be coming home soon. I wanted there to be some estranged family member that Ed could relate to, if not like (considering his relationship with his father... and his father's history in the anime...) so I created Uncle Tobias._


	10. Chapter 10

GiftWing

"What the hell is that?" Edward blanched, backing away a bit.

The large white owl lifted its head and cooed threateningly. It flapped its wings and clawed at the ground. There was a carcass under one claw, the innards spilling out on the ground in a red and pink mess. The head was missing, but an antler lay nearby: a deer.

"Happy birthday," Chrisitn snickered. "Don't worry, it doesn't bite."

"You've got to be joking," he mumbled, shaking his head. The thing was more than three times his height! It could snap his head off in one peck!

"No, no I'm not. I thought you'd like it. After all, you have the same eyes," she shrugged, brushing past him and reaching out to pet the bird's wing. "And no, her name isn't Hedwig," she added, glancing at him over her shoulder.

"Who's Hedwig?" he asked, taking a small step forward.

"Oh, never mind," she sighed.

"So... this... _thing_... is for me?" he asked.

"It's a snow owl, not a 'thing.' She's already been fed," Christin gestured at the half-eaten deer, "so you're not likely to be on the menu. She's quite tame and I suggest you get to know her. She's going to become quite useful in the future."

"Get to know her? What, like making friends?" he cried.

"Yup," she nodded curtly. "Play nice."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait! You can't just leave me here with some overgrown nocturnal bird of prey!" he called after her as she vanished inside.

The bird screeched threateningly, fluffing out her feathers to make her seem larger and more dangerous. He backed up slowly, panic shooting through him when he felt the wall against his back. She spread her wings and screeched again, forgetting the deer and orienting on him.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" he shrieked, waving his arms as she came closer. He felt stupid, apologizing to a bird for insulting her.

Almost instantly, she stopped screeching. She flapped her wings a bit and stepped closer still.

"Hey, whoa... what are you doing?" he asked, his voice rising an octave. He held his hands out like they would prevent the bird from coming any closer. He closed his eyes, waiting for the limbs to be bitten off. Instead, there was a soft crooning sounds and his left hand came into contact with soft feathers.

He looked up into large golden eyes that were perhaps larger than his head. Golden eyes... she had golden eyes, just like him. Sharp, intelligent, like molten gold... they stared right into his soul. He wasn't sure why, but he thought she was judging him, determining if he was a good person inside. He let his eyes slide closed and brought his other hand to her face, stroking her white feathers as smoothly as if they were silk.

"You have a name, or did my brilliant wife leave me in charge of that?" he asked flatly.

She cocked her head to the side and blinked.

"Guess it's up to me after all..." he grumbled, running a hand through his hair.

Down below, on a terraced garden attached to the main building, he could hear someone singing. It was a little girl, he guessed, from the tone of the voice. She was singing a simple song, in that strange Cretan tongue he once could speak very well but now knew only a few words.

_"Shink'kua na hautun ze'era ze'era mannhua cand gorje zhe baran'sela. Se'e ban retyan matruss coon twah hartjo. Barli luyen kaenan xuntwe marinta fe'eya. Is'shon farwan metharrun nihin banecchar nebun iyishran dan heduanna. Shhin cwa nahan nuturi cakhya laouyr elleta trey-ya."_

"On wing of nobility... this dream... a light, my dreamer, the sun..." he translated. It was a rough translation, of course, but it got the point across. It was a lullaby.

The bird cooed and shook her head to get his attention.

"What, you like the song?" he asked, stroking her feathers again. "I can't translate as well as I used to. I stopped speaking the tongue once I no longer had a need to," he admitted.

She crooned and flapped her wings.

"Wings... 'on wing of nobility'... Liluye?" he asked.

She crooned happily.

"On wings of nobility this dream shall fly, up through the clouds and beyond the sky. Look east and see a light, my dreamer, the sun as it rises. What can be more lovely than the dawn? The sky is your kingdom, the stars your guides. Take my hand and join me as we walk through reverie."

Edward spun around at the sudden voice.

"My, my, my, serenading her already," Christin said smugly. "Looks like you're getting along fabulously."

"I was just... uh..." Edward stammered. "Stop smirking at me like that," he snorted at Christin.

"What? It just shows how good a person you are," she replied nonchalantly.

"I'm not a good person," he replied lamely.

"You're not? Well then, let's list all the horrible and rotten things you've done: you... tried to transmute your mom and ended up ruining both your body and that of your brother... which you fixed... you caused that insurrection in Liore... which you tried to fix. You didn't really succeed when Scar transmuted the Stone, but you had good intentions and that counts for something... you managed to repair your body and that of your brother's (with his help), though yours did end up kinda screwy again in the end... which I actually tried to fix but obviously you were meant to have artificial limbs... I accept the blame for that, actually... there was... _were_, I mean... the numerous times you saved me... helping me bring two wonderful, albeit troublesome, children into this world... oh yeah, you're bad," she drawled.

"Stop patronizing me."

"I'm not," she laughed. "I'm just trying to point out, for every bad thing you've done, something you've done about aforementioned bad thing. Granted, not everything was a roaring success, but you still tried. That's got to count for something, right?"

Edward merely stared at her as she walked up to them and began stroking the owl's wing. From where he was standing, it almost looked like she wasn't touching the feathers at all.

"Alright, alright. I'm not as horrible as I once thought I was. I guess I've grown up after all, huh?" he chattered, turning away so she couldn't see his face turn ten shades of red.

"Exactly," she said firmly.

"So now what do you..." he started turning around to see her hand held out near his face.

"Come flying with me," she encouraged, re-offering her hand.

He looked at her. It felt like it had been centuries since he had really looked at her. Everything from her bright green eyes to her long golden-brown hair (which had grown again, he noticed)... was familiar and different at the same time. He felt a smile break out on his face.

"Alright."

* * *

_**Area 51 1/2 **__4-17-11: uh... the lullaby was a combination of two songs. The lyrics in Cretan (which are intended to be pronounced phonetically) were written to the tune of 'A La Nanita' from "The Cheetag Girls 2" (yeah, you read that right) and the English lyrics were written somewhat along the tune of the woodpecker song from 'Holes' that was in the book... oh, no it was in the movie too. Actually, 'A La Nanita' was used in book one, for those of you who pay attention to what you're reading._

**RANDOM QUIZ TIME! This is only for the Godsend fanatics... or those who think they know the story, so try your best!**_ What chapter was 'A La Nanita' (a Spanish lullaby) first used in, and who was it sung to?_

_Back on subject, this chapter I started writing because I'd watched 'Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole' and was reminded of Liluye. Um... she died in book two, that's why she hasn't been mentioned in book three._

_And Saru and Rika are just kinda more like props than actual characters. Well, actually Saru plays a bigger part in book 3 later on. They'd provide BGM if the trilogy was an anime series._


End file.
